Shelby tapped one short, pink nail on the table. “It would take a lot of work and scheduling.”
I could tell she was seriously thinking about it. I was the problem solver, but Shelby was our logistics girl.
I pulled out my phone and quickly opened the real estate listing for the house. “Look at the library, TJ. The built-ins need your love and attention.”
“Low blow.” But she took my phone and swiped through the photos. She’d only taken a brief tour of the house so far. “Shit.”
“You know this house is amazing. Between your carpentry skills and my knowledge of this house and Shelby’s spatial prowess, we could make it so great. There are so many rooms to be redone.”
“Wood rot for days,” TJ muttered.
“But you know it was built to last back then. There’s so much detail to restore.”
TJ handed me my phone. “This would take months. And you don’t even know if this dude actually has money because, girl, this is a money pit waiting to happen. No one has lived in that house for at least ten years.”
“Twelve.”
TJ stood and took her can. “I’d have to see it. And then maybe—”
I stood and threw my arms around her. “Yes!”
“I didn’t say I would yet.” TJ didn’t hug me back. She was just as stubborn as our new client was.
I let her go. “You will. You’ll see the inside and fall in love with it like I did.”
“You have a lot of prep work to do.”
I sat back down. “I know. I have to go through all my papers and do a walk-through with Nolan.”
“Nolan? That’s this dude’s name?” TJ snorted.
“I know. Doesn’t fit the muscular, scarred thing he has going on.”
“Scars? You didn’t tell me about scars.”
I tugged at the rip in my skirt, but it was hopeless. “Yeah, he has a really big scar going down his eye, cheek and neck.” I swallowed at the memory of those dark blue eyes blazing down at me as he hovered over me. The scar didn’t repulse me—quite the opposite. “Under his shirt too.”
“And just how did you see under his shirt?” TJ paused at my chair.
“When he tackled me.” I cleared my throat. “We got very close.”
“Mmm. Very interesting. Sure you just want the remodel, cupcake?”
“Even if I was interested—which I am not—he does not like me. In the least.”
“Fine line between love and hate.” TJ gulped from her can as she headed for her office at the back of the room.
I huffed out a breath and turned to Shelby. “And how do you feel about this?”
She continued to tap her nail on the table, then slowly, she packed up the first aid kit. “I have to think about it. Write up a proposal and we’ll all vote on it.”
“Okay. That I can do. After I meet with my property manager at The Heights.”
Shelby winced. “I don’t envy you that one. Gizmo really made a mess of things.”
“He sure did.” I sighed. “First, I have to wash up and change. Can I borrow your black jacket? I don’t want to walk in looking like this.” I held up my bandaged arms.
“Sure. But maybe they would take pity on you in your current condition.”
I laughed. “Okay, well, there is that.”
I was not looking forward to this in the least.
SIX
I pulled out the large broom to get the fine stone particles out of the grass and dumped the last of it into the trash can I was using for the smaller pieces.
My back was aching from all the labor and my eyes were burning from the relentless sun. Even with my UV sunglasses in the darkest tint, it was no match for the sun bouncing off the water. Especially without any cover now that my whole damn porch had fallen down around my ears.
I’d almost taken out Dahlia. Christ, I didn’t even have insurance finalized on this place yet. “Damn fool woman,” I muttered out loud.
And now she wanted to do the remodel. Clearly, I was certifiable for even contemplating it.
She was a walking disaster, but I’d recognized the same light in her eyes that I’d had when I saw this place.
Minus her notions of a damn ghost.
